How to I get Gigs playing trumpet

[AlexBaz]

I'm a highschool student that wants to start making money and meeting people with the skills I've been honing. Some of my friends are doing gigs with their combo but I declined joining to focus on my studies. With the summer rolling around I think it would be a good experience to view the music scene in my area as that's what I want to go to collage for. I've gone to All States 2 years in a row now and am a pretty competent Jazz musician/Improviser and have been doing some small chamber/Jazz combo groups for the past month or 2 so I don't think skills will be an issue.

Thank you for your help

[Quadstriker]

[cheiden]

Network.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

[kehaulani]

First, explore in your own backyard. See if you can sub in any existing groups you know.

Read Craig's List for Musician-wanted ads. Read bulletin boards in local music stores.

Form your own group.
Consider getting proper equipment and do a one-man act. Advertising that is another subject, altogether.

Check out your local community college.

Ask as many musicians as possible you can about their hearing of any opportunities.

Volunteer to play at churches and see it you can get into any opportunities from those musicians.

One thing about all the networking above - don't be obvious. Don't give the musicians the impression that the only reason you're interested in them is because what they can do for you.

Join the Army.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[TrumpetMD]

I started playing again, about 12 years ago, after a 20-year lay-off. At that time, I started going to open jazz jam sessions. This allowed me to meet other players, letting them see me play, letting them know I'm available to sub or other opportunities. I found guys I wanted to play with, and put together a trio, made a demo. And I reached out to possible places to play (restaurants, outdoor markets, nursing homes, etc.).

Mike
_________________
Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns.

[kehaulani]

An afterthought - listen to live and recorded music and learn the repertory before you are asked to join a group. In other words, don't wait until you get a job and then learn the music. Be prepared.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[Mike Sailors]

Find the cats who are working in the area you live in, and take a lesson from them. Let them know you're wanting to work and that you want their feedback about how you can improve.

There's lot of work out here. You can do it.
_________________
www.mikesailors.com

[TrumpetMD]

[tptptp]

"How to I get Gigs playing trumpet"

Be meticulous about your appearance, social skills, communication, grammar, humility, and....oh yes, skill.
_________________
Craig Mitchell

[zaferis]

[trpthrld]

"How to I get Gigs playing trumpet"

1. Be able to play what you say you can play. Bad press travels faster than good press.

2. Don't be a jerk. Again - bad press travels faster than good press.
_________________
Tim Wendt

www.trumpetherald.com/marketplace.php?task=detail&id=146827&s=The-Best-Trumpet-Lead-Pipe-Swab-EVER--

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPWAJqghk24&feature=youtu.be

[peanuts56]

Excellent advice.
50 years ago I was in the same situation. I sat in on a few local big band rehearsals when I was in high school. We had 3 or 4 guys in my area who led big bands. One of the guys was kind of a cavone. (Italian slang for jerk) I was invited to sit in at a rehearsal, showed up early and he ignored me the whole rehearsal. I never took the horn out of the case. Sat like a mope for 2 hours.
I was treated just fine by the other band leaders and worked regularly with one when I joined the union.
A few years later the jerky guy called me. He was in a bind and needed a trumpet player that night. Probably didn't remember me. I told him no thanks, not interested. He got upset and began arguing with me. I hung up.

[Man Of Constant Sorrow]

Lotsa good advice here (^^^^ all this above).

I sorta stumbled upon an interesting set of circumstances, that has enabled me to get gigs:

I picked-up on playing other instruments, initially, just for fun ... and, the fact I had a period where I was undergoing dental work, and it was not reasonable to play a horn.

I already knew how to play guitar (folk, R'n'R, surf, pop ... but, NOT jazz, which is a very serious endeavor requiring a lot of time practicing booooooring stuff). I learned how to play bass, keyboards, mandolin, drums ... even the bodhran, which has led to many, many gigs.

In-any-event, as someone has already mentioned: NETWORK yourself. Hang-out at gigs, chit-chat with the other musicians on their breaks or after the gigs when they are packing it in. Offer to help with the load-out. Try to make it known that you play, and are interested in joining a group or subbing.
Going this route, I found myself in a couple bands (at the same time), playing different instruments.

Just the other day, I attended a 4th-of-July neighborhood picnic. There was a band playing ("oldies", classic rock, Motown / soul, soft-rock, etc.). On the band's break, I overheard one of the members remarking they would be looking for a drummer, as their present drummer was going to be undergoing chemotherapy, and would be out-of-commission for a while. Someone recognized me, and recommended me as a fill-in drummer. Unfortunately, I have other things going on, and no longer have a full-kit, anyhow.
(Interestingly, the drummer there was on a full electronic kit ... of which I was not impressed, sonically ... although, I envied the compactness of the kit.).

This just goes to show you, if you are out-and-about, and
schmooze somewhat ... sooner-or-later, gigs will come. I've had a lot a fun "freelancing" on various instruments, playing gigs literally all over.
_________________
Sub-Optimal Hillbilly Jazz

[mograph]

Go see bands and offer to sub in when they need someone. Have contact info ready.
Go to local jam sessions and sit in.
Don't be afraid to work music into conversations, to see if you're talking to someone who also plays.

Each person who sees you play, and who plays alongside you is another person who can recommend you to someone else.
_________________
1985 Bach 37
1980 King 601 (it's bulletproof!)
1978 Couesnon flugelhorn
Playing for fun since 1979.
Fmr member 48th Highlanders of Canada Mil Band
Into that jazz devil music

[trickg]

AlexBaz - I've got no other advice other than to say to read everything posted, then read it again, then act upon the good advice that's been given.

I've had the good fortune to gig a fair bit throughout my life, and in a lot of cases it's not because I was the best player around -

-- I was available
-- I showed up on time prepared
-- I'm easy to get along with

It goes without saying that you have to be able to play the material, but working as a musician is as much about who you know and how well you're regarded as anything else.
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[kehaulani]

[patdublc]

[WestCoastTpt]

[BeboppinFool]

“Play so good they can’t say no.”
— Bob Brookmeyer
_________________
Puttin’ On The Ritz

[tptptp]

OP must have gone on vacation. Or maybe in the practice room. Or silently contemplating the great wisdom conveyed here.
_________________
Craig Mitchell